I have a number of concerns regarding DIY orthodontics. First, who is making sure the patients are following through with the treatment? Are patients left to figure out on their own if it is time for the next step? Not everyone’s teeth move at the same rate, some need to be on a step longer than others- who will be monitoring this? Second, When/if there are issues, who will be responsible for correcting the issue? If this is DIY- where the patient is in charge, is the patient expected to fix the issue themselves? As a dentist, stepping into the middle of someone else’s treatment is always tough, but would be even more difficult if I needed to rely solely on the patient to direct me as to what has happened. Third, as most of you know, my primary concern and interest id in finding the ideal, or physiologic bite. If you are not being checked by a dentist each step, how can anyone insure that your bite will be fine when finished?? The bite dictates so much about comfort. Even traditional orthodontics can and still has issues with bites not being correct when finished, so DIY orthodontics will most likely have even greater issues!
In my opinion, this is far from ideal treatment, I understand that cost is a factor for a lot of people, but what will be the cost to correct when something goes wrong? The old adage still holds: “you get what you pay for”. I’m sure there are people who have done this DIY orthodontics and have wonderful results, but the majority will end up with marginal to poor results. They will end up needing more work to correct when it could have been done in less time and less overall cost than having to go back and correct the issues.
If you have any questions about DIY orthodontics, or would like a consult to find out what we can do for you, please contact Gabriella at 978-343-4031 to schedule your consultation.
Sincerely,
Brian C McDowell D.D.S. LVIF
